Inking device



Jarl- 7, 1941- E. o. ECKLAND ETAL 2,227,636

INKING DEVICE Filed June 14, 1939 UNITED 4STATI-:s

PATENT OFFICE i INKIN G DEVICE Emil 0. Eckland and Walter H. Young,.Cl1icago,

Ill.; said Eckland assigner to said Young Application June 14, 1939, Serial No. 279,127 Y 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in inking devices and particularly to a novel inking device automatically operable to replenish the inking roller of a recording machine, such as for 5 example, a stock ticker, to insure clear legible printed impressions.

Most known types of recording machines, such as stock tickers and the like, are provided with an inking roller which always Ais in contact with the type roller thereof. It is essential that the printed impressions recorded on a recording tape passing through this type of machine be clear,

as faint or blurred impressions are likely to result in inaccurate interpretation of quotations or other memorandum recorded thereon.

Frequently machines of this character are in continuous operation over a considerable period of time and hence it often becomes desirable to re-ink the inking roller during the operation thereof. However, during the operating period of the stock market, it is inadvisable to stop the machine long enough to properly re-ink the inking roller as this may result in the machine falling behind the market.

To avoid this possibility of faint orblurred impressions and to avoid the necessity of stopping the machine or attempting to re-ink the inking roller manually while it is operating, the instant inking device herein disclosed is devised whereby the inking roller is supplied automatically with a small quantity of ink at regular intervals during operation of the machine only. When the machine is idle no ink is applied to the inking roller hence oversaturation of said inking roller, which results in the recording or blurred impressions, is prevented.

It is therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a novel automatic inking device embodying means to deposit minute quantities of ink upon the inking roller o-f a recording machine at regular intervals.

Another object is to provide a novel inking device operable to deposit a predetermined quantity of ink upon an inking roller on a recording machine only while the machine is in operation.

Another object is to provide an efficient device for supplying and applying ink to the inking roller of a ticker machine, which embodies few operating parts, is self-adjusting and is positive in operation.

Another object is to provide an inking'device of the character referred to which may be attached readily as an accessory to or be built in a 5 ticker machine or the like.

(01. 1v1-35o) i l The foregoing and such other objects of the invention as will appear hereinafter as the description proceeds, will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specifica- I tion in which reference is made to the accom- `5 panying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View of the upper portion of a known type of ticker machine, showing the inking device attached thereto; the glass cover of said machine being broken away to 10 facilitate the showing.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view of the inking device.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View of the inking device. 16

Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the distributor roller.

The ticker machine, partially illustrated in the drawing, may be of any conventional type havl ing a frame I I at its upper endsupporting op-` 20 erating mechanism (not shown). Upon operation, the said operating mechanism actuates to partially rotate, intermittently, a type roller I2 to its proper positions for recording stock quotations or other memorandum on a, recording 25 tape I3. f The recording tape I3 is mounted on a suitable roll (not shown) and is trained over a guide roller I4, carried on the sideframe II, from where it extends between type roller I2 and a 30 yieldably mounted supporting arm I5. When the type roller I2 is rotated, as aforementioned, an inking roller I6, in frictional `contact therewith, is rotated in unison to supply ink thereto in a'regular uninterrupted manner. 35

The inking` roller I6 preferably is absorbent and is intended to contain sufficient ink to ink the type roller I2 during continuous operation of the ticker machine over a predetermined vperiod of time, but the ink supply frequently be- 4o" comes inadequate and faint impressions are recorded.

` In order to maintain sufcient ink on the absorbent inking roller I6, without oversaturation,

to insure proper inking of the type roller, the F5? automatic inking device I'I is employed. As shown, the device comprises, in general, an ink receptacle and means rotatable to convey ink to and distribute it on the absorbentinking roller,

I6, at regular intervals. The conveying means, 5o"

is however, of such construction that only minute; quantities of ink are intermittently conveyed to the distributing means, hence the absorbent inking roller never receives an over-supply of ink.

Referring specifically to the structure of the inking device I1, as illustrated, said device includes a substantially rectangular ink receptacle I8 p-referably having a downwardly extending integral lug I9 to receive a screw 2| therethrough for attaching said receptacle to the machine frame |I. This constitutes the only mounting for the device thereby making it a relatively simple matter to attach said device to machines now in use.

Extending upwardly a short distance from one of the side walls of the ink receptacle, and preferably formed integral therewith, are spaced apart ears 22, having horizontally aligned apertures therein. A bearing pin 23 is fixedly mounted in said apertures and has one end extending inwardly a short distance. An arm 24 is pivotally mounted on the extended end of said'pin and carries a bearing pin 25 on its free end upon which is rotatably mounted a distributor roller 26. As

best illustrated in Fig. 3, the distributor roller 23` preferably is centrally disposed over the receptacle AIll and its circumferential face is grooved annularly, as at 21.

The groove 21 is bridged at one or more points by a tooth or teeth 28 having its outer surface substantially flush with the circumferential face ofsaid roller. The side margins or flanges 29 on each side'of groove 21 preferably have their circumferential surface knurled.

When the inking device is properly mounted on the machine frame the distributor roller 26 positions itself so that its knurled surfaces engage the absorbent inking roller I6. Obviously such contact effects rotation of said distributor roller upon movement of the type roller I2.

Means -is provided within the inking receptacle I8 for depositing a predetermined quantity of ink' on the bridge por-tion 28 of the distributor roller so that, upon each successive rotation of said roller, said quantity o-f ink is transferred yto the inking roller |6 and is evenly distributed therethrough by capillary attraction. Accordingly, the inking roller I6 is periodically supplied with-a predetermined quantity of ink which is evenly distributed therethrough during operation of the machine, hence an excessive quantity of ink is never deposited upon the type roller I2 which, in such event, would result -in blurred impressions being recorded upon the recording tape I3.

The means for depositing the minute quantity of ink upon the surface 28 of the distributor roller preferably includes a substantially star shaped resiliently mounted feeder wheel 3|.

As shown, the star wheel 3| is rotatably mounted at one end of a lever arm 32. 'Ihe other end of said arm is pivotally secured to an inter-nal web or flange 33 preferably formed integral with the receptacle I1. The web 33 extends inwardly from one end wall of said receptacle and terminates short of the longitudinal center thereof. A leaf spring 34, provided toretain the feeder wheel in contact with the distributor roller, has one end rigidly secured to the web 33 and its free end engaged with a hook 35 or the like carried on the forward end of lever arm 32. A stop 36, on the interior of the ink receptacle I1, limits movement of the arm 32 upwardly.

A coil spring 31, mounted between the upstancling ears 22, on the pivotal pin 23, has one end arranged to bear against the rear side of arm 24 .to lresiliently urge the distributor roller 26 into frictional contact with the inking roller I6.

Operation of the device is substantially as follows:

While the inking roller I6 is being rotated by contact with the driven type roller |2, the distributor roller 26 is also being rotated. Upon each successive revolution of said distributor roller, the flattened or bridge portion 28 thereof acts as a tooth upon the star wheel 3| and engages one prong of said wheel rotating it a part of a revolution. The lower portion of the star wheel is constantly emerged in ink, hence the prongs each contain a'plentiful supply of ink which is deposited upon the bride portion 28'at the time of its contact with said prong. The ink thus deposited is, in turn, transferred to the inking roller IG and spreads through the entire roller by capillary attraction. i

Obviously, the amount of ink deposited on the inking roller may be increased by providing a distributor roller having a plurality of bridge portions 28 or, if less ink is required, the width of portion 28 may be reduced.

There is no feeding of ink to the inking roller while the ticker machine is idle, thus oversatura- `tion of the inking roller is entirely eliminated.

While a preferred form of the invention has been shown and described in the foregoing, it is to be understood that the disclosure is exemplary and not restrictive, and that the invention may embody numerous variations in structural detail without departing from the spirit of the inventionror-the scope of the appended claims. e

We claim:

1. A device Yof the character described adapted to be attached to a recording machine, comprising, in combination, an ink receptacle, an arm pivotally mounted at one end in said receptacle, a feeder wheel mounted on the other end of said arm having a portion thereof extending above said receptacle, a distributor roller rotatably mounted above said receptacle, 'said distributor roller having a circumferential groove on its circumferential face, and a bridge portion in said groove to engage said yfeederwheel when the distributor roller is rotated.

2. A device of the character described adapted to be attached to a recording machine of the type having an inking roller to supply inl; to a type roller comprising, in combination, an4 ink receptacle, a feeder wheel yieldingly mounted in said receptacle, prongs on said feeder wheel, a distributor roller yieldingly and rotatably mountc ed on said receptacle and adapted to be rotated by the inking roller, a tooth on said distributor roller, said tooth being adapted to engage one of the prongs on said feeder wheel whereby the latter is partially rotated during one revolution of said distributor roller.

3. In an inking device, for use on a yprinting machine, including an ink feeding wheel and an inking roller, Va distributor roller having spaced knurled circumferential surfaces in engagement with said inking roller, .and a bridge portion between said surfaces to engage said feeding wheel when the inking roller is rotated. l

4. In an inking device, for use on a printing machine, including an ink feeding wheel and an inking roller, a distributor roller having spaced knurled circumferential surfaces in engagement with said inking roller, a groove vbetween said knurled surfaces, and a bridge portion in said groove to engage said feeding wheel when the inking roller is rotated.

EMIL O. ECKLAND. WALTER H. YOUNG. 

